Clarets Tame Tigers In 4-0 Win

Burnley have had umpteen chances in our last two league games to come away with all three points but a mixture of bad luck, keepers playing out of their skin and the woodwork have all conspired to deny the Clarets victory and they have had to settle for a point away to Palace and at home to Bristol City following two goalless draws.

Last night against Hull City at Turf Moor that all changed and we finally took our chances and made the pressure count after securing a 4-0 victory in impressive style. A brace from Chris Eagles which included a penalty and another from Chris Iwelumo did the damage and it could have been a rugby score had we not taken our foot off the accelerator. The Tigers had managed to not concede a goal in 279 minutes of league football before this match but they came a cropper at Turf Moor last night and went back to Humberside toothless and well-beaten.

Strangely in the first half Hull had far more of the possession, especially after Chris iwelumo broke the deadlock on 14 minutes but they could not make their pressure count and fell to a sucker punch when the Clarets doubled their lead thanks to a well-taken shot by the impressive Chris Eagles on 24 minutes. Hull still tried to press and looked dangerous on occasions but you just sensed this was not going to be their night as the referee blew for half-time with the Clarets 2-0 up.

The second-half was a different kettle of fish and a half in which the Clarets completely dominated with Jensen not even being called on to make a save. After just five minutes we had increased our lead when Hull defender, Daniel Ayala clearly handled in the box to give away a penalty. Alexander was on the bench so there was no clear obvious choice to take the spot kick. In the end, Chris Eagles thumped the ball home to make it 3-0 Clarets and three minutes later it was game over for the Tigers when Chris Iwelumo added to his tally following a spill by the Hull keeper, Matt Duke from a deflected shot by Jay Rodriguez. Iwelumo now has seven league goals so far this season and it was good to see him on the score sheet again after a recent drought. Strangely all of his goals have been scored at home so it would be good if he can now start hitting the back of the net on the road starting with the next` big cat` challenge against the Lions at the Den Stadium this Saturday

In the end though a convincing win last night and the only concern and criticism you could have against the impressive Clarets would be related to the defence which at times seemed slow to clear their lines not to mention often getting caught in possession. Andre Bikey in particular was having a bit of a mare after some impressive performances and man of the match awards in recent games. Almost clownish at times! Against a team of better quality, the defensive blunders could have been expensive but we got away with it against Hull. It would be churlish though to pick too much fault with this performance and the result means we now climb to 5th spot on 15 points from nine games. You can`t really complain about that and some of the other teams slipped up last night allowing the Clarets to catch up. League leaders, QPR could only manage a 0-0 draw against Millwall at home. Millwall will be buoyed by that and we face them on Saturday at the Den Stadium but at least the result means we are now just eight points behind QPR. We are also in sight of second spot with Cardiff now only 2 points ahead following their goalless draw at home to Palace.

Brian Laws, making his 700th league appearance as a manager, decided to drop Graham Alexander to the bench for the Hull clash allowing Jack Cork to take over the holding midfield role. Dean Marney was also named in the starting eleven and he lined-up against his former club. Clarke Carlisle was named captain for the night and led the team out.

The full team was as follows:

Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Fox, Cork, Marney, Elliott, Eagles, Iwelumo, Rodriguez

Subs: Grant, Alexander, Duff, Cort, Wallace, Paterson, Thompson

In the end, Hull`s influential and controversial midfielder, Jimmy Bullard was not named in the visiting team`s eighteen with the player still suffering from injury.

Staffordshire referee, Tony Bates got the game underway on a mild night in Burnley with the Clarets desperate for a win to get their promotion challenge back on track. It was however Hull who started the brighter having the first chance which fell to Jay Simpson following a cross from Nicky Barmby. Carlisle though did just enough to ensure that Simpson could only put the ball over the bar with his knee.

The Clarets though continued to press, especially down our right flank and on 14 minutes the pressure was finally rewarded after Elliott got in a perfect pass to find Mears. The right back on a charge crossed over into the area and there was iwelumo ideally placed to head home into the roof of the net.

We should perhaps have mounted more pressure after that goal but we seemed to let Hull come at us more and more and for a time it looked like the Tigers could be the next side to score. However, our passing game was beginning to tell and on 24 minutes probably against the run of play we doubled our lead. Jack Cork was the architect of this one. He went on a mazy, twisting run, which eventually put Rodriguez clear. Jay then found Fox with a superb pass. Fox split the Hull defence getting in a perfect through-ball to Eagles who with a low left footed shot thumped the ball home to put the Clarets 2-0 up and in effect, against the run of play demoralise the Tigers.

The Clarets now had their tails-up with the Tigers tails drooping and former Hull midfielder, Marney nearly added to their woes following a break from the half-way line but could only blast the ball wide of target. Hull, to give them credit had their moments and they had a lot of the possession in the first half. Jensen had to dive at the feet of Jay Simpson shortly after our second goal to deny the former Arsenal starlet scoring from a tight angle.

2-0 then at half-time and Brian Laws certainly had no cause to make any changes for the start of the second half and didn`t!

It was soon all over for Hull City after two more goals for the Clarets in quick succession. Just five minutes into the second half, Fox from a corner found Rodriguez who headed the ball into the air. Ayala for some reason with Carlisle breathing down his neck blatantly handled the ball and the referee had no option but to point to the spot. Chris Eagles made no mistake from the spot thumping the ball home and making it 3-0 Clarets. Three minutes later and Duke spilled a deflected shot by Rodriguez and there was a grateful Iwelumo to slot home his second goal of the night.

The Clarets were now in total control with both Eagles and Iwelumo looking for a hat-trick. Eagles spotted that Duke was off his line and from fully 40 yards out tried out an ambitious chip which had the keeper scuttling back and having to tip the ball round the post. With 25 minutes to go, it was Eagles again who came close to his hat-trick after being set-up by Iwelumo but this time he could only lift his shot over the bar.

Paterson, Wallace and Thompson had now been brought on to freshen up the side and with ten minutes to go Pato nearly made it 5-0. Paterson pounced on a poor back pass and took the ball round the keeper giving himself a rather tight angle to score. So tight he could only put the ball over an empty net. In the end it did not matter, Burnley had won and won convincingly. The Tigers had been tamed and they went back to Hull with their tails between their legs. Now to silence the roar of the Lions!

Match Stats

Burnley: Jensen, Mears, Carlisle, Bikey, Fox, Cork, Marney, Elliott (Wallace 70), Eagles, Iwelumo (Thompson 76), Rodriguez (Paterson 70)

Subs Not Used: Grant, Alexander, Duff, Cort

Goals: Iwelumo 14, 53, Eagles 24, 50(pen)

Booked: 0

Hull: Duke, Dawson, McShane, Gerrard, Ayala, Ashbee (Fagan 52), Cairney, Barmby (Kilbane 74), Atkinson, Koren, Simpson (Cullen 55)

Subs Not Used: Oxley, Cooper, Bostock, Devitt

Booked: Yellow Card for Barmby

Possession: 59% Burnley, 41% Hull City (Source: BBC Sport)

Ref: Tony Bates (Staffordshire)